Shoulder pad for violin



Oct. 29, 1968 G. PERLMAN 3,40 ,5

SHOULDER PAD FOR VIOLIN Filed Nov 23, 1966 as, v INVENTOR. GEORGE PERLMA/V 28 Y M I T 22 V g g 4Mowm ArrolP/vgrs United States Patent 3,407,695 SHOULDER PAD FOR VIOLIN George Perlman, 236 Linden Ave., Wilmette, II]. 60091 Filed Nov. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 596,522 Claims. (Cl. 84-280) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The shoulder pad for violins includes at least one sheet-like, flexible, but shape retaining structural member with a U-shaped foamed rubber spacer means between the support member and the violin. Pressure sensitive adhesive on the spacer permits positioning the pad at any position and attitude. Alternate layers of laterallyapertured rubber spacers, an additional sheet-like structural members with cut out portions therein provide pads of selected thickness. An outermost layer of foamed rubber is provided for comfort and nonslip usage.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a shoulder pad for violins and violas.

Shoulder pads for use with violins and violas have been known for years, and serve basically as a pillow-like member which accommodates and supports the instrument comfortably to the individual violinists physical characteristics of shoulder and neck size. However, such prior shoulder pads have had a number of deficiencies. First, they have had to be constructed with means for attachment to edge portions, or the tail piece, or other structure on the instrument susceptible of attachment to, and this limits the pad to being located in only a relatively few positions, so that the violinist usually has to compromise his comfort. Secondly, the pad, by engaging a substantial portion of the underside of the violin, serves to partially absorb and thereby muflie the violins sound and may affect the tonal quality and resonance of the instrument. Third, to provide for shape retention, a relatively rigid structural member is usually incorporated in the pad and may prove to be incompatible with, or uncomfortable to, the use when rested against the shoulder or collar bone of individual violinists.

Summary of the invention Thus, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved shoulder pad for vioilns which is capable of being placed in any position desired by the violinist, thus affording a complete range of selection and comfort as to position of the pad vis-a-vis the violin.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shoulder pad that substantially eliminates all mufiling of sound, or variation in sound or tone of the violin by reason of use of a pad.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shoulder pad that avoids the objections incident to use of existing pads and which is characterized by simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction, and by increased versatility and comfort in use.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

Brief description of the drawing A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a violin as it is being played and illustrating the use of a pad embodying my invention.

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FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the rear underside of a violin showing my improved pad in a preferred attitude when held on the underside of the violin.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the pad shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing elements of the pad of FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing a modification of construction.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of certain elements shown in the modified form of device shown in FIG. 6.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now the drawing, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a violin 10 having a soundbox whose lower wall 12 has positioned thereagainst the improved shoulder pad 14 of this application.

The shoulder pad 14 includes 'a planar structural member 16 which is in the form of a sheet of relatively flexible material cut to the form as best seen in FIG. 3 with a major convex peripheral edge 16a and a minor concave peripheral edge 16b. The member 16 is defined as a structural member since while it is relatively easily flexed in directions transverse to the plane of the sheet 16, it is shape retaining and does not stretch or contract within its plane, and so it has fixed dimensions and area. Member 16 may be of any desired material providing the said characteristics, but in the preferred form it is a transparent sheet of cellulose acetate.

A spacer means 18 is provided to one side of member 16 in the form of an elongated, relatively narrow strip that runs substantially adjacent the convex peripheral edge 16a of member 16. When viewed in plan, the spacer means 18 is U shaped, thereby defining a lateral opening 19 in the plane of spacer means 18. The side of spacer means 18 that is distal from member 1 6 is the contact face that is adapted to engage the underside, or lower wall, 12 of the violin with the member 16 spaced from the violin. A layer 20 of a pressure sensitive, but releasable, adhesive is provided on said contact face to spacer means 18.

The spacer means 18 is formed from a material that is resilient and does not appreciably absorb sound. The adhesive layer 20 is of a nature to permit afiixing the pad on the violin wall 12 with a minimum of pressure, without permanently affixing the pad to the violin and without injuring the finish of the violins surface. In a preferred form, the spacer means 18 is of foamed latex rubber bonded to a layer of thin flexible fabric, and the adhesive is rubber cement.

The outer side of structural member 16 is covered with a layer of resilient material 22, which preferably is the same type of material as spacer means 18. A tab 24 is provided connected at least in part, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to a portion of the contact face of spacer means 18. The tab provides means for selectively removing the pad 14 from its adhesive engagement with the underside of the violin 10. A strip of flexible fabric 26 may be adhesively secured to the outer side wall of the spacer means 18, which is spaced inwardly of edge 16a of member 16, to firm up the edge of the spacer means and to increase the lateral stability of the pad 14. The slight overhang of member 16 outwardly of outer edge of spacer means 18, as best seen in FIG. 3, prevents the feel of a sharp corner and increases comfort. The resilient layer 22 provides for comfort and, because of a high coeflicient of friction, provides for nonslip usage.

In a preferred construction of shoulder pad 14 as shown in FIGS. 3-5, at least two structural members 16 and 30 are used. The structural members are of similar material and are spaced apart by an intermediate spacer 28 of similar shape and material as spacer means 18. The fabric strip 26 is preferably extended to engage the outer edge 30a of member 30 and to reinforce spacer 28. The structural member 30 has the same convex exterior periphery at 30a as the shape of spacer means 18 and 28, but preferably has a different periphery adjacent the region where lateral openings 19 and 29 are provided respectively by the U shaped spacers 1S and 28. Specifically, the edge of member 30 is cut out or apertured as indicated at 32.

The various parts consisting of structural members and spacers or layers of material may be secured in any appropriate way, such as by gluing. While spacer 18 is shown as approximately double thickness relative to spacer 28, it will be appreciated that spacer 18 may be built up of two layers of material each of the thickness of spacer 28.

In use of the improved pad, it will be understood that pad 14 may be secured in any position on the underside of the violin to provide greatest comfort. Preferably, the lateral openings 19 and 29 of the spacers are vertically aligned and are disposed, during use, at an attitude directed outwardly past the violinists shoulder, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, as the sound is least affected by pad 14 in this position. Both the violinists shoulder and the structural members 16 and 30 are spaced from the violin 10, thereby providing better resonance and least deadening of sound. The flexibility of structural member 16 permits it to bend inwardly as required, if positioned directly over a shoulder or collar bone, and the entire arrangement provides for the greatest comfort and convenience of the violinist. When the pad 14 is removed from the violin, a fiat sheet of material, such as a sheet of similar size and construction as member 16, is desirably adhered to adhesive layer 20 to keep the adhesive alive and to prevent premature drying out. If the layer 20 does dry out, additional adhesive may be applied, to thereby renew the adhesive layer 20.

In the modified form shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, similar elements are similarly numbered. As principal variants, the overall thickness of the pad may be varied as desired by including additional structural members spaced from and parallel to structural member 16. Thus, middle structural member 30' is provided, spaced by spacer 28, and a third structural member 24 is added spaced from member 30 by spacer 28'. The member 30' is provided with only an edge cutout 32', While member 34 is provided with multiple cutouts or apertures as desired, such as edge aperture 38 and central aperture 36. The existence of such apertures prevents undesirable resonance of an air column defined by and located between the spaced structural members.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A violin shoulder pad comprising, in combination, a substantially planar structural member which permits relatively easy flexing in directions transverse to the plane of said member but is shape retaining within the plane of said support member, an elongated, relatively narrow, resilient spacer means on one side of said structural member substantially along the peripheral edge of said member but being noncontinuous so as to define a lateral opening in the plane of the spacer, the spacer means providing a contact face adapted to engage the underside of a violin and to space the structural member from the violin, and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the spacer means for releasably securing the shoulder pad at selected positions and attitudes to the underside of a violin.

2. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 wherein the planar structural member is a sheet of cellulose acetate, and the spacer means are of foamed latex.

3. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 wherein the elongated spacer means is in the shape of a U in plan view.

4. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 wherein the other side of the structural member is covered with a layer of resilient material.

5. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 including a tab connected at least in part to a portion of the contact face of the spacer means, said tab affording means for selective removal of the pad from its adhesive engagement with the underside of a violin.

6. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 including at least a second planer structural member, and intermediate means spacing each two structural members.

7. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 including means for reinforcing side walls of the rubber spacer means to increase lateral stability of the pad.

8. A shoulder pad as in claim 6 wherein the intermediate means are shaped to define at least one lateral opening between each pair of structural members.

9. A shoulder pad as in claim 6 including aperture means in at least one of said planar structural members.

10. A shoulder pad as in claim 1 in combination with a cover element for engagement with the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive to keep said layer of adhesive alive when the pad is being used.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,786,478 12/1930 Connell 84280 2,208,824 7/1940 Weinberg 84-280 2,746,336 5/1956 Bisharat 84-280 2,747,452 5/1956 Goldberger 84-280 3,138,050 6/1964 Tevis 84278 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. GARY M. POLUMBUS, Assistant Examiner. 

